


Becoming Your Prince

by bokuakabeam



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Dancing, Other, Princes & Princesses, just a bunch of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:08:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24034822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bokuakabeam/pseuds/bokuakabeam
Summary: Kei was a knight guarding a masquerade ballBut everything changes that night after he meets the princess
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 7





	Becoming Your Prince

**Author's Note:**

> This is a birthday present for one of my best friends, Dawn!!
> 
> Happy birthday, sweetness!! I hope you like this!  
> I love you so much and you deserve all the good things in life! <3
> 
> ALSO a big thank you to Kian for proofreading and correcting my dumbass mistakes <3

Kei’s eyes drifted across the expanse of the large room once again, scanning for anything odd or out of the ordinary that he may need to further investigate.

When he unsurprisingly came up empty, he pressed his back against the wall, his shoulders sinking into his chest slightly as he let out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. The party was now in full swing, the sun having set over the horizon and the darkness of nightfall letting the warm glow of candlelight illuminate the room. Partygoers were swinging around the floor, leaving little room for comfort for anyone not partaking in the dance, which was a small number of people. There were tables lined up along the edges of the area, and a platform towards the front of the room that held the thrones; one for the king, who sat astride in all his majesty and grandeur; one for the queen, who was perched in her smaller throne, but still held her head high with pride; and one for the princess. The last chair, however, was barren, for the princess was amongst the crowd of people; lost in the sea of billowy dresses and flamboyant dances that kept the dance floor in a constant fluid-like movement.

“Kei.” Tadashi sidled up to him, nodding his head once he’d gotten the taller man’s attention. “Anything?”

  
“Oh, yeah. Crime is running rampant in the castle, I’m just taking a breather.” Kei couldn’t help the grin that spread across his lips, even though he’d tried to reign it in to really drive the sarcasm home. 

  
As if he could get anything past Tadashi to begin with, but he always tried. Kei reached up to his neck, tracing the necklace he’d worn for as long as he remembered. It had become a thing of comfort at this point, because Kei didn’t know where the necklace came from, but he felt for some reason as if it was important to him, and Tadashi had convinced him to hold onto it. Yamaguchi and his family had taken Kei in when he was still an extremely young boy, adopted him as one of their own and raised him to become a knight alongside their own son. He was forever grateful for their aid and guidance, and even held a position of power and honor because of them. However, he could never turn down the opportunity to get one of Tadashi’s ‘famous’ eye rolls, which he was bearing witness to at the second.

Once Tadashi had finished rolling his eyes, the two men laughed, trying to keep their voices soft, so as not to disturb anyone else around them. “I haven’t found anything, either. Seems like it is just going to be a long night.”

  
Kei just hummed, once again training his eyes towards the dance floor. He was mentally preparing himself to be standing in that position all night when his eyes caught a glimpse of movement that was different from the rest. He saw them.

It was the princess, without a doubt. He could instantly recognize their two-toned hair that he’d happened to catch a glimpse of earlier that evening. They were dancing near a man that Kei hadn’t seen before, but their movements were so steady and fluid that it seemed like the princess was floating rather than stepping across the dance floor. Kei knew that their name was Dawn, and now that he was fully able to watch and gaze upon the princess, he knew the name fit them. They gave off the impression of importance and an air of euphoria, as if they were the sun rising against the pale black of the night sky. Hair that was curled slightly and hung down their shoulders swished with every sway of their slender body, and while the light in the room was dim, the bright variation of red and blonde seemed to radiate the brightness that the princess gave off. Their arm and leg motions so precise, as if they’d been practiced beforehand, and Kei found himself unable to move his observations elsewhere. They were absolutely beautiful. The only thing that gave Kei any pause was the fact that the princess’ face was obstructed by a large black mask, a stark contrast to their fair skin. He felt himself pout at that, becoming steadily more desperate to see an uninhibited view of the princess’ face, one that would undoubtedly be as stunning as the rest.

“Kei!” Tadashi’s voice drug him out of his own thoughts, and he forced himself to pull his eyes away from the princess, meeting Tadashi’s own amused look.

“What?”

  
“Why don’t you go ask them to dance? They’ve danced all night, they must have already dance with everyone.”

“I-I…” Kei shook his head, his gaze once again slowly drifting back towards where the princess had moved on to a different partygoer. Their smile was dazzling, and Kei found his lips upturning just seeing the happiness that they emanated.

“It’s a masquerade party, Kei!” Tadashi spoke again, earning a grunt of acknowledgement from Kei. “Just keep your mask on, they’ll keep their mask on, you’ll dance, and you’ll say goodbye! No harm, no foul!”

“I don’t know…” Kei trailed off again, tugging his bottom lip between his teeth, a nervous tick he’d picked up through the years. “They’re… They’re too perfect.”

  
Tadashi rolled his eyes again, but this time it was  at Kei rather than  because of Kei, which left him feeling a smidge bitter. “Kei. Go. I’ve got it covered here.”

Kei hesitated a moment more, looking between his friend and again at the princess before nodding once, and headed towards the dance floor. His feet felt like lead, and his head was filled with nothing but static noise.

What was he supposed to say? ‘Hello, I’m a random knight that has been assigned to protect your party, but let me disregard that for an evening so I can hold you and dance with you?’

Before he could change his mind, he was in the midst of dancers, the princess just a few inches from him. The hair that was closest to their skin was slightly damp with sweat, and Kei couldn’t help but find it endearing how intensely the princess danced. Like they were expressing themselves in the art of movement, no matter who the partner was, and the smile that came from that was passionate and honest.

The upbeat song that the performers had been playing ended abruptly, and there was a lull in the noise that gave Kei the opportunity he craved. He quickly stepped into the princess’ line of sight, and bowed slightly, gaining their attention.

“H-Hello,” his voice quivered slightly, his anxiety slipping through. He cleared his throat before continuing. “I couldn’t help but notice… You looked so angelic… Could I have the next dance?”

Kei felt daring as the princess’ face turned a light shade of pink, and he reached forward and gently held their hand, bringing it to his lips and pressing a tender kiss on their knuckle.

“Of course,” the princess spoke, their voice quiet but sure.

Kei kept his grip on their hand, slowly pulling them until they were within a couple inches of one another, just as the next song started. It was a slow song, much to Kei’s appreciation, and the two began swaying together. Their hands were placed on his shoulders, and he couldn’t help but grin at the notable height difference between the two of them. He almost seemed to tower over them, and while normally this height difference gave him a sense of power, he felt that power dwindling under the gaze of the princess. Their eyes were steadfast and strong, and as they spun and danced throughout the dance floor, he could find himself getting lost as the irises seemed to change colors in the candlelight.

“What’s your name?” The princess spoke up after just a minute of dancing, blue-green eyes searching golden ones.

“Kei.”

“Nice to meet your acquaintance, Kei. I’m Dawn,” they spoke softly, but Kei felt a swell of pride as he could feel the contentment that laced their voice.

  
“I know,” he responded without thinking, tilting his head in a gesture towards the empty throne on the platform.

The blush on Dawn’s face deepened, and Kei couldn’t help but let out a breathy chuckle, his hands pulling the princess closer against him. They were splayed out on the princess’ back, and their faces were now much closer than before, the masks that extended past their eyes slightly bumping into each other. And he found himself drowning in those eyes. Those beautiful, shimmering eyes that gripped his heart and soul, and he couldn’t seem to look away.

The two of them danced, and before Kei knew it, several hours had passed. The party was starting to dwindle, many of the patrons either moving to the side to rest and people-watch or leaving the ballroom in lieu of finding their sleeping quarters for the night. And yet, Dawn and Kei continued dancing, moving together as if they’d been doing it all their lives. They spoke during the slow songs, and laughed during the fast; the conversation between them remained, and Kei found himself falling deeper and deeper for them. It felt like an eternity he spent with Dawn, and yet when sunrise began peeking out from the horizon and Tadashi started signaling that it was time for them to take their leave, Kei began getting weighed down with the fact that he hadn’t spent nearly enough time with the princess.  His princess.

But, they weren’t his princess. They would have to choose someone to court them, and eventually marry, and that person would not be Kei. It couldn’t be Kei. Dawn was being forced to marry a prince, and Kei did not meet that criteria.

Tadashi again signaled at his friend and adopted brother, his face distorted into a mixed look of urgency and distress, making Kei finally still his movements.

“Dawn…” He trailed off, not knowing where to begin. He wanted to say everything that was on his mind, how the night had been the best night of his life, how Dawn had made him feel more bright and alive than he’d ever felt before. But he couldn’t. Not when he knew how all of this would end. “Thank you, princess.” He released his grip on Dawn, bowing down in front of them, his eyes beginning to sting with unshed tears.

“Kei,” Dawn’s voice was faint, and Kei swore he could hear a tinge of sadness. Or, at least, he hoped.

“I need to go,” Kei spoke abruptly, worried about the salty tears that threatened to fall. He would not cry in front of a princess. Especially not Dawn. Before they could even speak, he spun on his heel and began speed-walking towards Tadashi.

Luckily, Tadashi knew Kei better than anyone, and could read on his face that they needed to leave, and fast. So as soon as Kei had caught up with Tadashi on the sidelines of the dance floor, they quickly made their way towards the exit of the castle.

There were dozens of patrons and guests who were beginning to leave as well, several that Kei recognized from the dance floor. They all slowly trailed down the long halls, the orange and pink glow of sunrise steadily streaming in through the windows. Kei felt his misery deepen as he expanded the distance between he and the princess, and he reached up again to grip the necklace. The band was made of leather, and was worn from the years of use, and the charm that hung from it had an unknown symbol etched into the silver plating. The warmth of the metal against Kei’s hand comforted him slightly, and it gave him the strength to continue putting one foot in front of the other, getting him closer to the exit, and further away from the perfect night he’d had.

Just as Kei and Tadashi reached the large entryway of the castle, they heard a scuff of someone’s footwear, and suddenly Kei was flung backwards. He landed with a huff, his tailbone roughly hitting the concrete stones of the castle floor. He groaned, a sharp pain shooting up his spine before dulling. He looked up with a glare and met the deep brown eyes of a man that couldn’t be too much older than him, who stood aside Tadashi as they looked down at Kei.

“I’m so sorry!” The unknown man spoke quickly, his face laced with concern and guilt. “I was just in a hurry and… I’m sorry!” He reached his hand out towards Kei in a gesture of good will, helping him up to his feet.

Kei brushed himself off, keeping his anger in check so as not to scare off the stranger. That was something that Tadashi had suggested he work on; he was scarier than he intended, and that made them look bad. So he fixed the frown on his face into something that he felt was a little more passable, and straightened his posture before looking back at the man. 

  
“It’s okay. It happens, I suppose.”

  
“I just didn’t expect to be here this late, you see,” the man spoke again, furthering his explanation. It seemed as if he was already comfortable among Kei and Tadashi, and Kei wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. “So, when I saw how late it was… Er, well how early it was, I guess… H-Hey… Where did you get that necklace?” The man cut himself off mid-sentence, and his eyes now locked on Kei’s collarbone, where the necklace he wore rested.

“What? My necklace? I don’t know,” Kei furrowed his brows in confusion, holding out the charm so the man could get a better look at it if he wanted. “I’ve been wearing it as long as I remember.”

The man stayed silent for longer than was comfortable for Tadashi and Kei, and the two men began to fidget. Once the stranger met Kei’s gaze, Kei realized he had tears streaming down his cheeks. 

  
“Uh…?”

  
“Kei?” The stranger spoke his name softly, reverently, as if he couldn’t believe Kei was standing before him.

“How… How did you know my name?” Kei asked suspiciously, taking a step back from the man that was now sobbing before him.

“Kei…” The only response he received for a moment, and Kei was deciding whether he wanted to fight or flight.

“How do you know Kei, sir?” Tadashi spoke up at that moment, looking between Kei and the man, looking even more lost than Kei at this point.

“I’m sorry… I’m Akiteru Tsukishima. Kei is my brother,” he admitted quietly, scrubbing his eyes roughly with the heel of his palms before continuing. “Years ago, my family went on an outing, and my brother Kei was kidnapped by bandits. Mom and Dad searched high and low for you, and they ended up catching the bandits, but there was no sign of you. They assumed you’d either been sold off somewhere, or you’d run off on your own.”

“What?” Tadashi gasped, looking at Kei again as if he had answers to elaborate.

Kei just shrugged slightly, his eyes widening at Akiteru’s explanation.

“It was my birthday, and all I wanted to do was travel to a place I’d never been. Maybe have a picnic, just with my family. Mom, Dad, and my brother. It was supposed to be a nice day, and since we weren’t traveling too far from the castle, we didn’t bring any protection. It was just something to do for fun, but I guess it was dangerous and stupid.”

  
“Castle?” Kei spoke up at that.

“Yes, our castle. My… Our parents are the King and Queen of a kingdom a half-day’s journey from here.”

“Kei…” Tadashi spoke softly, looking at his friend with tears in his eyes. “You’re a prince, Kei.”

“No…” Kei shook his head, still not fully comprehending what was happening.

“That necklace, Kei?” Akiteru gestured towards Kei’s neck before pulling out a necklace of his own that had been hidden by his shirt. It matched Kei’s exactly, making the other two men gasp. “That symbol is our family crest. You’re my brother. You’re Prince Kei Tsukishima.”

-

The next few weeks were a blur for Kei, but he didn’t feel like complaining about it. Akiteru had brought Kei, along with Tadashi and the rest of his family, to his kingdom to reunite long lost son with parents. Kei’s parents were undoubtedly his parents, both being dangerously tall, and his mother having the same light blonde hair and fair skin that Kei did. It was as momentous and mind-blowing as something like this could be, and yet Kei still felt like he was missing something.

It was everything anybody could only dream about; Kei went from being a knight into being a rightful prince, moving into a well-off kingdom with parents and a brother that loved him, as well as bringing the Yamaguchi family with him and giving them the support and care they’d given him all his life. It was perfect, and yet Kei couldn’t help letting his mind wander to the night of the masquerade ball, to Dawn. His fingertips still tingled where he’d grazed the skin of their arms, his thoughts lingered on the glint in their eyes as they’d laughed, and his chest ached as he realized how much he really missed their presence. It wasn’t until Akiteru was taking him on a trip that Kei suddenly became suspicious, as landmarks and buildings they passed by continuously got more and more recognizable.

“Where…?”

  
“The princess has chosen a suitor, and everyone was invited to come see and meet the prince that will be courting them.”

Kei inwardly groaned, dread filling his chest as he braced himself for the night to come. He wasn’t sure how he would handle seeing Dawn with anybody but him, but he steeled himself. He was going to put on a brave face, and be there for them, supporting them in their choice. He really only wanted Dawn to be happy, and if they had found someone that could do that, then that’s all Kei could really ask for. Right?

Just as he was drowning in selfish answers, they arrived at the castle, and he was being ushered in alongside Akiteru.

The ballroom look nearly exactly how he’d left it those many nights ago, and Kei’s stomach lurched.

The King and Queen sat in the thrones on the platform, just as they had the night of the ball. And just as the night of the ball, the princess’ throne was empty.

Where are they?

“Oof!” Kei was tugged by the sleeve of his top, being spun around to face someone behind him. “Hey— Dawn?” He looked down, coming face to face with the princess, their defiant look only diminished by the bright smile that was plastered on their lips.

“Thank God you decided to come, otherwise this announcement would have been awkward.”

“Wha—?” Kei was utterly confused, but his heart swelled with hope as Dawn kept their grip on his arm, pulling him up towards the platform.

“Mom, Dad. This is Prince Kei Tsukishima,” they spoke loud enough for their parents to hear, their voice strong, but soft enough that only the four of them could make out their words. “We’ve been in correspondence with his family over the past couple weeks, you know?”

  
The King nodded, his eyes gentle with a small smile on his lips. “And you’ve chosen Prince Tsukishima?”

  
“Yes,” Dawn nodded profusely, looking towards Kei at this point. “That is, if you’re alright with that.”

  
Kei was taken aback, nodding back almost as aggressively as Dawn had, making the three nobles laugh at his response. “Of course, Dawn! You’ve been on my mind since the ball.”

  
“And you’ve been on mine,” they spoke tenderly, twining their fingers with Kei’s. His heart felt as if it was going to burst out of his chest at any moment.

“Alright, then it’s settled!” The King spoke jovially, standing up to address the constituents that stood in the now-crowded ballroom. He spoke loudly, his voice echoing across the walls as he announced that Dawn and Kei were to be together, courting until they were at a suitable age to wed.

Kei’s face was sore from how wide he smiled, his grip of Dawn’s hand never wavering, and when he looked over at them, he felt like he was finally complete. Dawn was the light that was missing in his life, and now that they were together, that light would never be snuffed. 


End file.
